BOMBAY, INDIA: An Indian bar dancer dances with a garland of currency notes offered by a customer during a performance at a suburban bar cum resturant in Bombay, 06 May 2005. The western state of Maharashtra has decided to shut down 'dance bars' or drinking houses featuring scantily-clad dancers in the capital Bombay, which had escaped a state-wide crackdown last month. Nearly 1,500 dance bars operate in Maharashtra employing more than 100,000 women, most of whom style and ape their performances on elaborate Bollywood song-and-dance musical numbers for customers looking for food, liquor and entertainment whilst police claim that many of the bars double as pick-up joints. AFP PHOTO/ Indranil MUKHERJEE. (Photo credit should read INDRANIL MUKHERJEE/AFP/Getty Images)

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MUMBAI -- Mumbai NCP chief Sachin Ahir today alleged that Maharashtra government's decision to drop five kinds of Home Department licenses needed by the Hospitality industry was intended to "promote dance bars" in the state.

In line with 'ease of doing business' policy, the BJP-led government had recently said that certain licenses or certificates issued by the Home department would no longer be needed to start a hotel in the state. This includes the license for 'public entertainment performance'.

"This means several new dance bars will come up. By dropping the entertainment performance licence, the government clearly indicates that it supports opening of dance bars and starting 'night life' in cities like Mumbai," Ahir said.

Dance bars in the state were banned when NCP's R R Patil was the Home minister. Later the Supreme Court revoked the ban.

Ahir said dance bars had ruined many families, especially the youth, but the present government supported them. He sought to know the rationale of the decision.

Meanwhile, sources in the Home department said the government had taken the decision on December 24 last year.

As a result of the decision, the hotel owners will be spared the hassle of obtaining these five licenses, or getting them renewed by applying to the police every year.

However, the licenses concerning the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will remain.

A hotel owner has to take licenses and No Objection Certificates for specific size for the hotel, its kitchen, eating license, swimming pool license and fire brigade license from the local authority. Sources added that only the duplication of licenses has been removed by the present decision.